Stamp vending and affixing machine.



G. L. REIOHHELM.

STAMP VENDING AND AFPIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAILB. 1911.

19763-317 Patented 0011.21,]913.

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G. L. REICHHELM.

STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.2,1911.

1,076,517,, Patented 0@ti21',1913.

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STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. Z. 1911.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

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G. L. REIOHHELM. STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. I911.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

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G. L. REIOHHELM. STAMP VENDING AND AFPIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1911.

1,076,517. Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

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OOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN C0,, WASHINGTON. D. 1:.

G. L. REIGHHELM.

STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR.2,1911. 1,076,517., Patented 0ct.21,1913.

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GEORGE L. REICI-II-IELM, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO I. R. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE L. REIOH- HELM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp Vending and Aflixing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism in a machine for vending stamps or similar articles and affixing them to envelops, packages, or the like which will automatically control the vending machine in such manner as to deliver a stamp dry, or to moisten and aflix said stamp to an envelop or package.

My object is to arrange the mechanism in such a manner that the act of inserting the letter or package in the machine for receiving the stamp will actuate the mechanism which controls the moistening mechanism.

A feature of my invention is a movable pressure receiving element which is adapted to lie directly below the aflixing pad and receive the pressure thereof when the stamp is being atlixed. This movable element is also adapted to eject a dry stamp from the machine after it is delivered or to move it to a position in easy reach of the operators fingers. This combined pressure receiving element and ejecting device is also automatically operated. It is so devised that when a letter is inserted in the machine for the purpose of having a stamp affixed this pressure receiving element will be moved to a position below the envelop and directly beneath the stamp. When the machine has delivered a dry stamp it will move the same to-a position easily reached.

Another feature of my invention is a yieldable element whichhas a position in the base of the machine directly below the afliX- ing device and which is adapted to offer a yieldable resistance to said aflixing device, and thereby to accommodate letters or packages of different thicknesses.

Other features of my invention and its objects and advantages will be made more fully apparent in the following specification and the novel features and combinations thereof will be more particularly set forth in the claims. 7

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stamp vending and affixing ma- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 2, 1911.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

Serial No. 611,884.

chine with portions of the casing broken away to show the mechanism. In this view the parts are shown in the position they occupy at a time just preceding the delivery of a dry stamp. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the lower portion of the stamp vending machine with portions of the framework broken away to show the moistening apparatus. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the principal actuating lever in the mechanism. In this view the said lever is shown in its normal position, or the poition in which dry stamps are delivered. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the said lever together with a second lever which it actuates and which in turn controls the moistening mechanism. In this view the parts are shown in the position which they occupy when a letter is inserted in the machine. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower portion of the machine. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the lower portion of the machine taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the greater portion of the interior mechanism and the framework of the vending machine with the base shown in section. The section is taken substantially along the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the moistener slide. Fig. 9 is a perspective View on the same scale as Fig. 8 of the moistener carrying arm. Fig. 10 is a perspective view on a still larger scale of the moistener. Fig. 11 is a view of the blank from which the moistener is made. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the principal actuating lever. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the yielding element in the base. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the movable pressure receiving and ejecting element.

I accomplish the principal object of my invention by means of the levers 20 and 24 which are pivoted at 21 and 71 respectively, to the framework of the machine. The lever 20 is adapted to receive the pressure of an envelop at its edge at the point 22, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4. In this view an envelop 23 is shown in position and the lever has been pushed back against the resistance of the spring 23. This spring is attached to the lever 20 at one end and to the framework at the other. The lever 20 actuates a second lever 24 which is pivoted to the framework and which is adapted when actuated to depress the lugs 25, on the moistening slide 28, into'the notches 26. \Vhen in this position the slide is incapable of moving forward and causing the moistener 29 to operate upon the stamp. The moistener 29 is normally in contact with the moistening pad 30. The moistener is actuated by mechanism which moves it across the path of the aflixing pad 31 when the latter is moving downwardly, and is thus adapted to moisten the gummed face of the stamp 32 when it is being carried by said pad. The mechanism for effecting the moistening and affixing of the stamp is fully described in my pending application for Letters Patent filed September 20, 1909,.

Serial No. 518,535 on stamp vending machine. As in my pending application the moistener slide 28 is actuated by the stamp feeding cradle or slide 27 As in my pending application referred to the afliXing pad is carried by a slide bar 33 which is driven by a pin 34 carried by a crank disk 35 fixed to the main shaft 36 of the machine.

The stamp feeding cradle or slide 27 is actuated by a cam lever 38 which carries the cam 37, the latter being also operated by the pin The cam lever 38 is pivotally attached to the stamp feeding slide 27 by a pin 39. The pin 39 moves in the slot 40 in the framework and is thereby guided in a straight line. Slots 42 serve as guides for the lugs 41 which are near the opposite end of the slide and serve to support and guide the rear end thereof.

The slide 27 carries a lug 43 at its rear end which is adapted to engage the lug 25 of the moistener slide 28 when the said lug 25 is not depressed into the notch 27. The opposite or forward end of the moistener slide 28 is provided with lugs 44 which slide in slots 45 in the framework. By this means the forward end of the said moistener slide is guided. The rear end of the moistener slide guided by the slots 42.

The moistener carrying arm 46 is pivotally attached at 47 to lugs 47 a on the moistener slide 28. These lugs are given a downwardly projecting posit-ion and 006perat-e with similar lugs 52 on the moistener carrying arm 46. The pin 47 serves as a pivot. The moistener 29 is pivotally attached to the arm 46 by a pin 48 which enters apertures 48 in the arm. A spring 49 is attached to a lug 5O projecting upwardly from the arm 46 and to a lug 51 projecting upwardly fro-m the moistener slide 28. The tension of this spring is adapted to elevate the forward end of the arm 46 and thereby cause the moistener 29 to be normally pressed against the pad 30. The tension of this spring also tends to move the moistener upwardly in all parts of its movements and thereby to cause a pressure against the gummed surface of the stamp 32 while it is being made to cross its path.

The above arrangement of the spring 49 also causes it to produce an upward tendency in the rear end of the moistener slide 28. Because of this upward-tendency the lugs 25 are normally held out of the notches 36, and the lugs are made to enter the said notches at such times only as the lever 24 presses them downwardly. Ttwill be seen that the spring 49 serves a double purpose most efficiently.

In a manner similar to that described in my pending application referred to the moistener 29 is guided in its moistening movement by the lugs which project laterally from the arm 46. These lugs 53 bear upon and are guided by the edges 53 of the frame plates 89 and 90. The edges 53 partake of the nature of cams and have such a shape as will produce the exact movement of the moistener which is necessary to cause it to move across the gummed surface of the stamp 32 while it is being carried downwardly by the pad 31.

The moistener carrying arm 46 is provided with upwardly projecting cheeks 54 which in turn are provided with inwardly projecting lugs 55 at their upper edges. The lugs 55 serve as stops for the moistener 29 and prevent too great a tilting movement thereof while it is performing its work. The lugs 55 are spaced a suitable distance from the moistener 29, as shown at 63, in order to permit acertain amount of tilting of said moistener and thereby enable it to lie in close contact with the moistening pad 30 upon its whole upper surface. This movement also permits it to freely and efficiently make contact with the gummed surface of the stamp 32 in a similar manner.

The moistener 29, as shown more fully in Fig. 10, is composed of a single piece of sheet metal 56. The blank from which the moistener is formed is shown in Fig. 11. The moistener is provided with downwardly projecting flanges or edges 57 and 58 which are preferably rounded at the bends in such a manner as to enable the moistener to slide freely upon the pad 30 and upon the gummed surface of the stamp 32. The middle portion of the moistener is formed into a loop, as shown at 62, to provide a means of pivoting the moistener to its supporting arm.

The moistener is provided with grooves 59 which extend throughout the whole width of its upper surface in order to permit the needles 59 to pass through the gummed stamp 32 without interference, as fully de scribed in my pending application referred to. The grooves 59 are produced by notches 59 in the blank which terminate at points 60 and 61, leaving a solid portion 61 The middle portion 61 is formed into the loop 62 and the inner ends 60 and 61 of the said mam notches 59 come together at the center of the slots 65 and 66. No movement of the the moistener.

The principal actuating lever 20 of my moistener controlling mechanism is given its movement by a pin 64 which is carried by the slide 83. The normal position of this pin with relation to the lever 20 is shown in Fig. 8. This is the position of the parts when the machine is standing idle or when it is about to be operated to deliver a dry stamp. In Fig. 4 is shown the position of the parts when a letter has been inserted and the machine is about to be operated to deliver a wet stamp. In Fig. 3 it will be seen that the pin 64 lies within the opening in the lever leading to slots 65 and 66 and.

that when the pin 64 moves upwardly and downwardly the lever 20 will be given an oscillating movement thereby. In Fig. 4 it will be seen that the pin 64 lies outside of the said opening leading to the slots 65 and 66 and that a vertical movement of said pin 64 will not produce any movement of the said lever will be moved to the right, cansing the horizontal portion 68 thereof to press upwardly upon the curved edge 69 of the lever 24. This action will cause the hookshaped end 72 to be pressed downwardly upon the lug 25 and cause the said lug 25 to enter the notch 26. The moistener slide 28 cannot then be moved forward, as it will be held back by the forward edge of the notch 26. The lugs 25 will furthermore be out of the path of lugs 43 on the slide 27 and the slide will pass freely over them. This result will take place when the crank pin 34 is leaving the position shown by the dotted line 7 and moving in the direction of the arrow. The lugs 25 enter the notches 26 before the pin reaches the portion 76 of the cam 37. The slot 65 will cause the lever to make a reverse movement when the pin 64 moves downwardly in said slot, during which time the surface 7 3 of the horizontal portion of the lever will strike the curved end 74 and give a movement to the lever 24. This movement will continue until the lever reaches its previous position. This movement will have no effect upon the lugs 25 as they will at this time occupy the notches 26. The slot 66 receives the pin 64 in the lower portion of the movement of the pin and a further oscillating movement is given to the lever 20. This movement will also elfe-ct oscillations of the lever 24 that will be ineffective upon the lugs 25 except as they serve to retain them in the notches 26.

Referring again to Fig. 4 it will be seen that when an envelop 23 is inserted in the machine and the lower portion of the lever 20 is pushed back, the pin 64 will not enter lever 20 is effected, and hence no movement of the lever 24 will t-ake place. The end 72 of the lever 24 will, therefore, remain elevated and the lugs 25 will not be depressed into the notches 2 6. The moistener slide 28 will then be engaged by the stamp feeding slide '27, and the moistener 29 will be moved across the face of the gummed stamp 32. A further downward movement of the pad 31 will, therefore, cause the stamp to be pressed into position upon the envelop.

I have provided a movable receiving table or plate 77 for supporting the letter when it is receiving a stamp. This movable table 77 is moved out of its supporting position when a dry stamp is being delivered. This movable plate is actuated by an extended portion 78 of the lever 20. This extended portion is connected with the said plate by the following mechanism: A link 80 is pivotally attached to the portion 78 by a pin 7 9. The link 80 act-uates a lever 82 which is pivotally attached to the base at 84. A pin 81 in the end of the link 80 engages a slot 83 in said lever. An oscillating movement of the lever 20 will, therefore, be transmitted to the lever 82 which will be given a horizontal oscillation. The lever 82 is adapted to give a reciprocating movement to the arm or shank 85 carried by the plate 77. This arm is provided with a slot 87 in which a pin 86 slides carried by the lever 82. The arm 85 is guided at one end by a yoke or clip 88 fixed to the base 88 of the machine.

The plate 77 is guided to and from its supporting position directly below the stamp delivering pad 81 by the side frames 89 and 90. It bears loosely at its lateral edges upon these frames and is provided with a downwardly projecting flange 91 which joins the arm 85 as shown clearly in Fig. 14. This downwardly projecting flange 91 enters a depressed portion 92 of a yieldable pressure receiving element 92 supported in the base of the machine. The depressed portion of this element is provided with vertical walls 93-94 at its lateral edges, these vertical walls serving as further guides for the pressure receiving plate 77. The walls 93--94 join horizontal portions 96 and 97 which fit within a pocket or cavity 97 in the base. This cavity is provided with side walls 102 preferably formed of and integral with the sheet metal of which the base is made. Horizontal supporting shelves 101, 101 in alinement with and below the wings 96 and 97, serve to support the springs 100, which in turn support said wings 96 and 97. The pins 98, 99 fixed to the wings 9697 are fitted loosely into apertures in the shelves 10l-101 and serve as guides forthe depressible element 92 and also as means for retaining the springs 100 in position.

' base.

The yieldableelement 92 is provided with a vertical wall 95 atits rear edge upon which the plate 77 rests. The upper edge of this wall 95 serves as a support for the rear edge77 of the plate 77 when the latter is in its forward or supporting position. It occupies this posit-ion when a wet stamp is being afiixed to an envelop by the pad'31. In this position of the parts the plate 77 and the yieldable element 92 upon which it rests are. free to move downwardly when'fa letter or package of unusual thickness is receiving the pressure of the aflixing pad 81. The tension of the springs ,100 holds the element 92 in its normal position at a .level with the upper surface of the base of the machine. Nuts or collars 98 and 99 attached to the lower ends of the pins 98 and 99 prevent the element 92 rising above the level of the base.

It will be seen that when the lever 20 is not actuated by an envelop or similar package 23 the plate 77 will have a normal position back of its pressure receiving or supporting position. The stamp will be delivered dry upon the arm 85 in the depressed portion of the element 92. Immediately after the pad 31 has reached its lowermost position and has delivered the stamp, the pad moves upwardly simultaneously with the pin 64. The pin 64 then causes a backward movement of the lower portion of the lever 20, and hence through means of the mechanism comprising the lever 82 the plate 77 is moved forwardly. The forward movement of the plate 77 will cause its front flange or wall 91 to engage the stamp and push it up the inclined surface 103 in the The inclined surface 103 constitutes a delivery chute by which the stamp is moved into a position accessible to the fin gers of the operator.

The operation and use of my invention have already been largely referred to and a further brief outline of the same will be given as follows: The normal position of the crank pin 34 is shown by dotted lines at 75. The movement of said pin is effected by means of a hand crank shown at 7 5 in Fig. 7 and the operative engagement of this crank with the shaft 36 is effected by certain coin controlled mechanism which does not form a part of my present invention, but is fully described in my pending application for Letters Patent above referred to and also in certain divided portions of said application which form the subject-matter of another application. When the operator rotates the shaft 36 in a direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1 and an envelop or like-package is inserted in the machine to be stamped, the first effect of the movement of the shaft is to cause the slide 33 to move upwardly and to carry with it the pin 64. The pin slides into the slot 65, and because of the curved and inclined form of the slot the lever 20 is oscillated, the lever 24 is actuated thereby, the lugs 25 are depressed into the notches 26 by the end 72 of said lever, and the slide 28 is held against forward movement.

it into contact with the radial portion 76 of the cam 37 and the cam lever 88 is given a movement whereby the slide 27 is moved forward when the stamp is fed to the pad 31. The moistener 29 remains in its normal position during this movement. While the pad 31 is being moved downwardly by the pin 34 in the lower-half of its movement, the pin 64 is at the same timesliding downwardly in the slot 65, and causing, through the mechanism described, the plate 77 to move backwardly to permit the stamp to drop upon the arm 85. The dry stamp will drop upon the arm 85 lying in the depressed portion of the yielding element 92. VVh'ile the pin 34 is moving upwardly during the first half of its upward movement, the pin 64 is moved upwardly along the curved slot 66 and gives a reversed movement to lever 20, and hence a forward movement to the plate 77. This movement of the plate 77 causes its vertical front wall 91 to push the stamp up the inclined plane 103 to a position where it is easily raised by the fingers of the operator. This brings the pin 34 to the initial position 75 and completes the operation of the machine necessary to deliver a single stamp. In pending applications for Letters Patent on stamp vending machines, as above referred to, I have shown and described coin controlled mechanism for permitting the delivery of two stamps upon the insertion of a single coin. When such a coin controlled mechanism is applied to a vending machine, to which my present invention is also applied, anotheroperation like that just described in which the pin 34 makes a second revolution will be eifected'and the second stamp will be delivered. Any number of stamps, of course, may be delivered in the S21E18 manner.

When it is desired to affix the stamp to an envelop or package the said envelop is inserted in the machine against the lever 20, as shown in Fig. 4. This movement causes the lever 20 to be moved out of the path of the pin 64, and the operation above described by which the said lever depresses the lugs 25 into thenotches 26 will not take place. The said lugs will then remain at their normal level and will be engaged by the lugs 43 of the slide 27 and the moistener slide 28 will be moved forwardly when the pin 34 strikes the radial portion 76 of the cam 37. This forward motion of the slide 28 will cause it to carry the moistener 29 across the path of the pad 31.

A continued movement of the pin 34 brings During the return stroke of said moistener, which is brought about by the pin 34L coming into contact with the lower portion of the cam 37, the moistener will rub upon the gummed surface of the stamp When the lower portion of the lever is held back by the package 23, it will be seen that the mechanism comprising the link 80, lever 82, &c., will cause the plate 77 to have a forward position directly beneath the pad 31 ready to receive the pressure thereof. This plate 77 will then be supported by the yieldable element 9:2 and should the envelop or package be of unusual thickness the springs 100 which support said yieldable element will be overcome and the element will be depressed. The springs 100 will exert a substantially uniform resisting pressure for various thicknesses of packages.

The spring holds the lever 20 in its normal position when the said lever is not actuated by a letter or package. The machine, therefore, is in its normal condition ready to deliver dry stamps. The machine is rendered capable of delivering and afiixing a wetstamp by the simple insertion therein of an envelop or package by an operator.

While I have described my invention more or less precisely as regards the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I con emplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1 claim:

1. In a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for moistening said articles, and automatic means for preventing the operation of said moistening means, and for delivering said articles in a dry condition.

2. In a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for moistening said articles, means for delivering said articles in a dry condition, and means actuated by an envelop or like package for controlling the operation of said moistening means, to prevent its movement into contact with said stamps or articles.

3. In a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for moistening said articles, means actuated by an envelop or like package for controlling the operation of said moistening means, to prevent its: movement into contact with said stamps or articles, and means actuated by said control ling means for moving the stamp to a different position when said moistening means is not operated.

4. In a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for delivering said articles in a dry condition, means for moistening said articles, means for affixing said articles to an envelop or like package, means actuated by said envelop or like package for controlling the operation of said moistening means, to prevent its movement into contact with said stamps or articles, and movable means for receiving the pressure of said aiiiXing means.

5. in a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for delivering said articles in a dry condition, means for moistoning said articles, means for ailixing said articles to an envelop or like package, means actuated by said envelop or like package for controlling the operation of said moistening means, to prevent its movement into contact with said stamps or articles, and yieldable means for receiving the pressure of said aitixing means.

(5. In a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for delivering said articles in a dry condition, means tor moistening said artices, means for aiiixing said articles to an envelop or like package, means actuated by said envelop or like package for controlling the operation of said moistening means, to preventits movement into contact. with said stamps or articles, movable means for receiving the pressure of said afiixing means, and yieldable means for supporting said pressure receiving means.

7. In a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for moistening said articles, means for atlixing said articles to an envelop or like package, and movable means having a position adapted to receive the pressure of the affixing means when the stamp is moistened and having a position removed therefrom when said stamp is delivered dry, said movable means being adapted to move said dry stamp to an accessible position.

8. In a machine for delivering stamps or similar articles, means for moistening said articles, means for atlixing said articles to an envelop or like package, means actuated by said envelop or like package for controlling the operation of said moistening means, and movable means for receiving the pressure of said affixing means, said movable means being also adapted to eject said stamp when delivered dry.

9. In a machine for delivering stamps and similar articles, means for delivering said articles in a dry condition, mechanism for moistening a stamp, means for preventing the operation of said moistening mechanism, mechanism for pressing a moistened stamp upon an object, and means for ofitering a yieldable resistance to said object opposed to said pressing mechanism.

10. In a machine for delivering stamps and similar articles, mechanism for moistening a stamp, mechanism for pressing said stamp upon an object, means for offering a yieldable resistance to said object opposed to said pressing mechanism, a portion of said means being brought into position opposed tosaid pressing mechanism by said object 11. In a machine for delivering stamps and similar articles, mechanism for moistening a stamp, mechanism for pressing said stamp upon an object, means for offering a yieldable resistance to said object opposed to said pressing mechanism, a portion of said means being brought into position opposed to said pressing mechanism by said object, means for preventing the operation of said moistening mechanism when an object is not inserted in the machine, and means for automatically moving said portion into said position subsequently to the delivery of a dry stamp, to eject said stamp.

12. In a machine for delivering and aflixing stamps and similar. articles, a moisture helding element, a moisture carrying element, a slide for said carrying element, an actuating member for said slide, and an elastic element adapted by its tension to Copies of this patent may be obtained for press said moisture carrying element against said moisture holding element and also to press said slide into engagement Withsaid actuating element. V

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for delivering a dry stamp, means for moistening a stamp, and means controlled by an envelop or like package when inserted in the machine for aflixing a moistened stamp to, said envelop or package.

1a. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for delivering a dry stamp, means for moistening a stamp, means controlled by an envelop or like package When inserted in the machine for atlixing a moistened stamp to said envelop or package, and means for enabling said affixing means to affix the stamps to envelops or packages of difierent' thicknesses.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed 7 my name. a

- GEORGE L. REICHHELM. \Vitnesses G120. L. WILKINSON,

HENRY A. PARKS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

